Conservation
Our projects aim to find mechanisms to improve the protection of key terrestrial and marine ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands, as models for other oceanic islands and ecological vulnerable areas. We understand that the Galapagos is under a vast number of anthropogenic pressures, but also recognize that local populations are key to improving management and sustainability. We work closely with the Galapagos National Park and local governments to advance and improve management actions.
Our projects include topics in: Endangered Species, Wildlife Veterinary, Agroecology, Territorial Planning of Protected Areas.
Let’s meet the impactful projects and their researchers:
RESEARCH PROJECTS
Genetic connectivity and health of cetaceans in Galapagos and Equatorial waters with other regions of the Pacific
Researcher: Daniela Alarcón
Year: 2024
Distribution, demography and habitat use of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the feeding, breeding and roosting areas of the Galapagos
Researchers: Daniela Alarcón, Juan Pablo Muñoz
Year: 2024
Abundance, distribution and vital range of cetaceans in Galapagos
Researchers: Daniela Alarcón, Diana Pazmiño, Héctor Guzmán, Juan Pablo Muñoz, Ari Friedlaende, Javier Oña Martín Narváez, Judith Denkinger, Robert Pitman Juan José Álava
Year: 2024
Spatial Ecology and Biological Analysis of Mycteroperca olfax within the Galápagos Marine Reserve
Researcher: Ashley Altobelli, Ross Dwyer, Alex Hearn, Daniela Alarcón, Santiago Diaz, Aminda Everett, Mayra Jennifer Alarcón, Alice Skehel, Alessandro Bocconcelli, Julien Bonnel, Jonathan Guillen Carrión, Peter Mudrak, Angelina Nelson, Juan Pablo Muñoz
Year: 2024
Study of the floral origin, quality parameters, chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the honey wasp (Brachygastra lecheguana) from the Galapagos Islands
Researcher: José Miguel Álvarez
Year: 2024
Digital archaeology and virtual reality at the Muro de las Lágrimas site (1940-1959)
Researchers: Fernando J. Astudillo, Paúl Rosero
Year: 2024
Contextualization of recent global warming trends and extreme El Niño events during the late Holocene in the Galapagos fossil coral records
Researcher: Alyssa Atwood
Year: 2024
Germination and establishment of (Tribulus cistoides) Zygophyllaceae in the Galapagos Islands
Researchers: Angélica Bonaccorso, Sofía Carvajal Endar, Nicole Alejandra Chico-Ortiz
Year: 2024
Taxonomy of marine algae in the Galapagos Islands
Researcher: Margarita Brandt, John Bruno, Todd Vision
Year: 2024
Detection of oceanographic events in the Galapagos Marine Reserve, using (Stegastes arcifrons) and (Stegastes beebei), and other species of herbivores, as indicator species
Researchers: Margarita Brandt, Juan Manuel Álava, Michael Kingsford
Year: 2024
Connectivity patterns of various marine species in Ecuador
Researchers: Margarita Brandt, Jaime Chaves, Juan Manuel Álava, Michael Kingsford
Year: 2024
Status and growth of hermatypic corals at Punta Pitt, San Cristóbal and other sites in the Galapagos Marine Reserve
Researchers: Margarita Brandt, Nicolás Dávalos, John Bruno, Paul Rosero, Anna Shvets, César Zambrano, Cheryl Logan, Nikki Traylor- Knowles, Michael Connelly, Santiago Rosero
Year: 2024
Epigenetics and its role in the evolution and adaptation of the marine and land iguana of the Galapagos Islands
Researcher: Sonia Carvajal
Year: 2024
Effect of urbanization on the evolutionary radiation of finches and the plants they use
Researcher: Jaime Chaves
Year: 2024
Exploring evolution in the Galapagos through genomics
Researchers: Jaime Chaves
Year: 2024
Geckos of the Galapagos Islands
Researchers: Diego Cisneros
Year: 2024
Land birds of the Galapagos, genetics, natural history, distribution and population status
Researchers: Diego Cisneros
Year: 2024
Taxonomic and genetic diversity of Arachnids arachnida Coleoptera Coleoptera Solifugae Solifugae and Onychophorans Onychophora
Researchers: Diego Cisneros
Year: 2024
Land birds of San Cristóbal Island, Galapagos: Natural history, distribution and population situation
Researchers: Diego Cisneros, Carmen Emilia Peñaherrera Romero, Juan José Guadalupe López, María de Lourdes Torres Proaño, Carolina Pilar Reyes Puig, Miguel Mateo Dávila Játiva
Year: 2024
Snakes and geckos of San Cristóbal and Isabela Islands, Galapagos
Researchers: Diego Cisneros, Carmen Emilia Peñaherrera Romero, Juan José Guadalupe López, María de Lourdes Torres Proaño, Carolina Pilar Reyes Puig, Miguel Mateo Dávila Játiva
Year: 2024
Diversity and habitat of the freshwater ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands
Researchers: Andrea Encalada, Juan Manual Guayasamín, Jaime Chaves, Valeria Ochoa, Gonzalo Rivas, Adolfo Cordero, Anaís Rivas, Lorenza Olaya, Andrea Tapia, Claudia Serrano
Year: 2024
Population genetics, diversification, hybridization and ecology of marine and land iguanas of the Galapagos islands as a mechanism to facilitate their conservation
Researchers: Juan Manuel Guayasamín
Year: 2024
Ecology of the marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) of the Galapagos Islands
Researchers: Juan Manuel Guayasamín, Sebastian Nikolaus Steinfartz, Diego Páez Rosas, Amy MacLeod, Sten Anslan, Gabriel Trueba, Gonzalo Rivas Torres, Denisse Dalgo, Andrea Varela, Flora Sophie Uesseler, Matthäus Haase, Andrés Mármol, Diego Ortiz, Isabel Damas Moreira, Eduardo Sampaio, Victor Rault
Year: 2024
Habitat use and monitoring of migratory movements of the oceanic manta ray (Mobula birostris) population in the Galapagos Islands
Researcher: Michel Guerrero
Year: 2024
Adaptation and Speciation in the Galápagos Islands: Utilizing the Fruit Fly as a Model Organism
Researcher: Corbin Jones, Diego Urquía
Year: 2024
Base line and trends of neglected species and habitats a quarter century after the creation of the Galapagos Marine Reserve
Researcher: Alex Hearn
Year: 2024
Hermandad Marine Reserve Baseline
Researcher: Alex Hearn
Year: 2024
The role of oceanic islets for the protection of migratory marine species
Researcher: Alex Hearn
Year: 2024
Distribution, demography, population size and population connectivity of two species of the family Heterodontidae: (Heterondontus quoyi) and (Heterodontus mexicanus) in the Galapagos Islands
Researchers: Maximilian Hirschfeld, Cynthia Awruch, Sean Canfield, Jaime Chaves, Diana Pazmiño, Jenifer Suarez, Juan García, Alex Hearn
Year: 2024
Contribution of herbivorous fish to rocky reef assemblages in different upwelling conditions
Researchers: Mike Kingsford, Juan Manuel Álava, Margarita Brandt, Robert Lamb
Year: 2024
Agroecological transition monitoring program for Galapagos soils
Researchers: Francisco Laso, Gabriela Bautista, Valeria Ochoa-Herrera, Antonio León, Miguel Mateo Dávila Játiva, Diego Cisneros, Senay Yitbarek
Year: 2024
Technification of a NFT hydroponic system for sustainable fruit and vegetable production on San Cristobal Island, Galapagos
Researcher: Antonio León Reyes
Year: 2024
Wildlife health and disease monitoring of marine invertebrates, fish, reptiles, birds and marine mammals of the Galapagos
Researchers: Gregory Lewbart, Kenneth J. Lohmann, Maximilian Hirschfeld, Juan Pablo Muñoz
Year: 2024
Assessment of the health status of the giant tortoises of the Cerro Colorado Galapaguera, prior to the release and repatriation processes
Researchers: Gregory Lewbart, Juan Pablo Muñoz, Diego Páez Rosas
Year: 2024
Investigation of plastic exposure in the Galapagos marine food web, focusing on plankton, invertebrates, algae and mangroves
Researchers: Ceri Lewis, Carlos Mena
Year: 2024
Remote sensing of Galapagos Islands beaches and vulnerability assessments
Researcher: Carlos Mena
Year: 2024
Understanding the biology of fish species of commercial interest in the Galapagos Marine Reserve, their reproductive aspects, spawning areas, geochemical aspects and heavy metal contamination within the food chain
Researchers: Laia Muñoz, Carlos A. Valle, Steven Emslie, Jaime Ocampo, Diego Quiroga, Francisco Rubianes, Peter Grewe, María de Lourdes Torres
Year: 2024
Trophic control of fisheries production in the Galapagos and beyond
Researchers: Janet Nye
Year: 2024
Long-term water quality monitoring programme in San Cristobal, Galapagos
Researchers: Valeria Ochoa-Herrera, Jill Stewart, Katherine Paola Vélez Herrera
Year: 2024
Using genetic tools to understand the invasion of non-native earthworms in the Galapagos Islands
Researcher: Jaime Ortíz
Year: 2024
The Galapagos pinnipeds sentinels of global warming in the Archipelago
Researcher: Diego Páez Rosas
Year: 2024
Retrospective study of the feeding ecology of large pelagic fish present in the Galapagos Marine Reserve
Researchers: Diego Páez Rosas, Felipe Galván-Magaña, Raúl Martínez-Rincón, Miguel Vences, Pelayo Salinas, José Marín, Xchel Moreno-Sánchez, Jorge Ramírez
Year: 2024
Evaluation of the population status and reproductive success of the pinnipeds of the Galapagos Islands in colonies with different levels of anthropogenic impact
Researchers: Diego Páez Rosas, Gregory Lewbart, Jorge Hernández, Larissa Oliviera, Oliver Kruger, Jochen Wolf, Daniel Costa, Fernando Elorraiga
Year: 2024
Sampling and categorization of endemic and introduced forest species for sustainable use in architecture in the Galapagos Islands
Researcher: María Isabel Paz
Year: 2024
Galapagos genetic barcode, genetic exploration of the study of evolution
Researchers: Diana Pazmiño, Jaime Chaves
Year: 2024
Rays as model organisms to understand movement patterns and habitat use
Researchers: Diana Pazmiño, Alex Hearn, Lynne van Herwerden, Floriaan Devloo-Delva, Lauren Goodman, Natalia Andrade, Michel Guerrero, Micaela Stacey, Diego Ortiz
Year: 2024
Arachnida, Coleoptera, Solifugae, Onycophora, Hemiptera, and Hymenoptera on San Cristobal and Floreana Islands in the Galapagos
Researchers: Carmen Emilia Peñaherrera Romero, María de Lourdes Torres Proaño, Miguel Mateo Dávila Játiva, Selene Escobar Ramírez, Melannie Vanessa Núñez León, David Marcelo Torres Arízaga, Paola Tatiana Flores Males
Year: 2024
Livestock welfare management; antimicrobial knowledge, attitudes and practices among farmers; and presence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing (Escherichia coli) in the sectors of One Health, Floreana Island, Galapagos
Researcher: Sarah Rhea
Year: 2024
Trophic ecology, population dynamics and impact assessment of introduced small mammals in priority conservation areas on San Cristóbal Island, Galapagos
Researchers: Marjorie Riofrío-Lazo, Diego Páez, Günther Reck, Francisco Arreguín, Manuel Zetina
Year: 2024
Spatiotemporal dynamics of the marine ecosystem of the southeast of the Galapagos archipelago
Researchers: Marjorie Riofrío-Lazo, Francisco Arreguín Sánchez, Günther Reck, Diego Páez Rosas, Manuel J. Zetina, Andrew W. Trites
Year: 2024
Understanding the evolutionary relationships of the Galapagos plants
Researcher: Gonzalo Rivas
Year: 2024
High resolution study on the microclimates of various plant zones on San Cristóbal Island, Galapagos, Ecuador
Researcher: Steven R. Schultze
Year: 2024
Understanding the effects of marine debris on seabirds in Galapagos
Researcher: Alice Skehel
Year: 2024
Understanding the impacts of pollution and population health patterns of endemic bird species at risk in the Galapagos archipelagos.
Researcher: Alice Skehel
Year: 2024
Ecology and conservation of Galapagos land snails
Researcher: Stella de la Torre
Year: 2024
Determination of the genetic diversity of the invasive blackberry (Rubus niveus) using DNA sequencing associated with RAD restriction sites as a base line for the conservation of the plant biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands
Researcher: María de Lourdes Torres
Year: 2024
Study of the evolutionary genetics of the Galapagos carpenter bee (Xylocopa darwini)
Researcher: María de Lourdes Torres
Year: 2024
Natural and sexual selection on color traits and social behavior in lava lizards
Researcher: Carlos Valle, John W. Rowe PhD, Jennifer Moore PhD – Alma College – Grand Valley State University
Year: 2024
Evolution of sperm size and sperm genes in Darwin’s finches: A genetic and genomic approach
Researchers: Carlos Valle, Jant T. Lifjeld, Eduardo García del Rey, Erica Hele Leder, Selene Escobar Ramírez
Year: 2024
Dynamics of nocturnal pollination in two congeners of Verbenaceae: Lantana cámara (supirrosa) and Lantana peduncularis (Lantana de Galápagos) on San Cristóbal and Santa Cruz Islands, Galapagos, Ecuador.
Researchers: Hugo Valdebenito, Christoph Richter, Monika Havalka, Barbara Murck, Aaya Bahl, Henrry Vivanco, William Sturch, Erika Bollinger
Year: 2024
Alien species in the Galapagos: quantifying environmental and socio-economic impacts, and assessing stakeholders perceptions
Researcher: Pieter Marinus Johannes van‘t Hof
Year: 2024
Deciphering the taxonomic and functional diversity of the root microbiome of endemic and invasive Galápagos tomato populations
Researcher: Pieter Marinus Johannes van‘t Hof
Year: 2024
Study of the microbiome associated with species of the (Genus scalesia) in Galapagos
Researcher: Pieter Marinus Johannes van‘t Hof
Year: 2024
Movement patterns and habitat use of juvenile scalloped hammerhead sharks
Researcher: John Bruno, Savannah Ryburn
Year: 2023
Spatial foraging behavior and energy expenditure landscapes of the Galapagos penguin and cormorant, and their relationship to climate change
Researcher: Susana Cárdenas
Year: 2023
Searching endemic rodent species considered extinct in Santa Cruz, Santiago, and San Cristóbal, and conservation status of the endemic mouse of Santiago
Researchers: Carlos Carrión, Paul Taillie, Daniel Armijos, Ana Carrión Bonilla
Year: 2023
Origin and phylogeography of native and introduced species in the Galapagos Islands: Evolutionary synthesis of understudied species
Researcher: Jaime Chaves
Year: 2023
Demographic, ecological and hybridization threat analysis of two endemic Solanum species in the Galapagos Islands
Researchers: Leonie C. Moyle, María de Lourdes Torres, Matt Gibson, Timothy Biewer
Year: 2023
Assessment of the genomic status of populations of two endemic Solanum species in the Galapagos Islands
Researcher: María de Lourdes Torres
Year: 2023
Hybridization and introgression in endemic and invasive plants in the Galapagos Islands
Researchers: Todd Vision, Bryan Reatini, Hugo Valdebenito, María de Lourdes Torres
Year: 2023
Detailed delimitation of the nesting area of the Galapagos petrel (Pterodroma phaeopygia) using geographic information systems techniques on San Cristobal Island
Researchers: Leo Zurita, Jonathan Guillén, Marcelo Landívar
Year: 2023
The value of mangroves and other coastal habitats for fishery species in the Galapagos Islands
Researcher: Ronald Baker
Year: 2022
Understanding the effects of plastic pollution in Galapagos
Researcher: Juan Pablo Muñoz
Year: 2022
Multitemporal photographs of finches and their variation in beak size according to the area of life. Use of "Citizen Science" for the collection of base line data and dissemination of scientific information
Researcher: Gonzalo Rivas
Year: 2022
Vegetation change due to invasive plants and climate change. Permanent vegetation plots
Researchers: Gonzalo Rivas, Juan Guevara, Ross Mc. Cauley, Luke Flory, Tom Gillespie, Felipe Zapata, Ken Feeley, Pablo Vargas
Year: 2022
Real-time mapping and construction of future predictive models of the distribution of introduced and native species in Galapagos using low-cost unmanned spacecraft
Researchers: Gonzalo Rivas, Carlos Mena, Fátima Benítez, Diego Páez, Eduardo Espinoza, Jenifer Suarez, Sebastian Steinfartz, Francisco Laso
Year: 2022
Galapagos sea urchins as an introductory system to scientific research for Ecuadorian students and their monitoring as potential sentinels of changes in marine-coastal communities around Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal
Researcher: Carlos Valle
Year: 2022
Ecology and current status of the Galapagos seabird community: Study of spatiotemporal variation in diet, trophic relationships, distribution and population status
Researchers: Carlos Valle, Susana Cardénas, Gregory Lewbart, Diane Deresienski
Year: 2022
Evolution and ecological considerations of Galapagos marine iguana morphology and locomotion: A comparative investigation into the invasion of the aquatic environment in reptiles
Researchers: Kate Berry, Andrew Olds, Carlos Valle, Christofer Clemente
Year: 2021
Investigation and monitoring of impacts in visiting sites of the Galapagos National Park with an adaptive and integrated approach
Researchers: Susana Cárdenas, Günther Reck, Yu Fai Leung, Maryuri Yépez, Katalina Gallardo, Alex Hearn, Gonzalo Rivas, Valeria Ochoa-Herrera
Year: 2021
Evaluation of the hydrological cycle, and its effects on the vegetation and soil formation in San Cristóbal, Galapagos
Researchers: Diego Riveros-Iregui, Elizabeth Anne, Sarah Shank, May Yannarell, Alexi Van Ess, Jia Hu, Alex Beebe
Year: 2021
The impact of mineralogy and soil development on lithium isotopes: A systematic study of the island of San Cristóbal, Galapagos
Researchers: Xiaoming Liu, Diego Riveros-Iregui
Year: 2020
The influence of land use change on the movement ecology of the San Cristobal giant tortoise (Chelonoidis chathamensis)
Researcher: Kyana Pike
Year: 2020
Quantifying the source and composition of marine organic aerosols in the Galapagos Islands
Researcher: William Vizuete
Year: 2020
Characterization of the canchalagua population (Chiton goodalli) and (Chiton sulcatus) on San Cristóbal Island, Galapagos, Ecuador, for the recommendation of non-genetic management measures
Researchers: Margarita Brandt
Year: 2019
Vulnerability and adaptive capacity in a tourist destination community, San Cristóbal, Galapagos
Researcher: Renato Israel Cáceres Vaca
Year: 2019
Analysis of the effects of tourism activities on red-footed booby colonies (Sula sula) on San Cristóbal Island
Researcher: Susana Cárdenas
Year: 2019
Behavioural ecology of lava lizards (Tropiduridae microlophus) from Ecuador, and comparison between continental and island communities
Researcher: Juan Manuel Guayasamín
Year: 2019
Photograph of Galapagos reptiles and amphibians for the Reptiles of Ecuador and Amphibians of Ecuador field guides
Researcher: Juan Manuel Guayasamín, Andrea Varela
Year: 2019
Connectivity patterns of various marine species of Ecuador
Researchers: Margarita Brandt, Jaime Chaves
Year: 2017
Applied genetics and chemistry: how can sharks seized from the Fu Yuan Yu Leng 999 ship contribute to the conservation of Pacific shark populations?
Researcher: Juan Manuel Guayasamín
Year: 2017
Preliminary determination of the genetic diversity of guayabillo (Psidium galapageium) and guava (Psidium guajava) in Isabela and San Cristóbal Islands, Galapagos, and comparison of guava diversity with samples collected in three provinces of continental Ecuador
Researcher: María de Lourdes Torres
Year: 2017
DNA sequencing of Galapagos seaweeds: A critical need to understand the marine biota
Researchers: Todd Vision, Paul Gabrielson
Year: 2017
Mapping and modeling invasive species in the Galapagos Islands
Researcher: Steve Walsh
Year: 2017
High resolution commercial satellite imagery for island studies
Researchers: Steve Walsh, Laura Brewington, Yang Shao, Francisco Laso, Phil Page
Year: 2017
Fish and marine invertebrates served in restaurants and their relationship with the tourism industry in Galapagos
Researcher: Margarita Brandt
Year: 2016
Identification of conservation strategies and population genetics of the critically endangered Galapagos petrel (Pterodroma phaeopygia)
Researcher: Jaime Chaves
Year: 2016
Research on the behaviour, ecology and molecular analysis of the vampire finch (Geospiza difficilis septentrionalis)
Researcher: Jaime Chaves
Year: 2016
Historical ecology of the Galapagos Islands
Researcher: Florencio Delgado
Year: 2016
Modeling fisheries in the Galapagos Islands
Researchers: Steve Walsh, Kim Engie, Phil Page, Brian Frizzelle
Year: 2016
Prevalence of morbillivirus, and transmission of canine bacterial and viral pathogens in the San Cristóbal sea lion population
Researcher: Judith Denkinger
Year: 2013
Conservation status of coral communities in the San Cristobal Island with emphasis to Pitt Point
Researcher: Judith Denkinger
Year: 2012
Adaptation and changes in the livelihoods of artisanal fishermen in the GMR
Researcher: Kim Engie
Year: 2012